Alone Together
by Elven-English-Major
Summary: Many years after Aragorn's passing, Arwen and her friend are Alone Together. Movie Verse, FemmeSlash Rating for Safety.
1. Kin folk

**Hey guys, trying something new, a plot bunny turned into a wildfire by my room mate. Give me an honest opinion. Girl on Girl action-Rated for future chapters. You've been warned!**

**This is VERY A/U and extremely movie-verse based with some twists, totally a new scene for me so just...give it a fair shot. I own nothing-Tolkien, Peter Jackson, those big rich guys own it all. I own..a dog...and some i-pods...No elves. Ok. Here it goes.**

Arwen sat at her vanity, her eyes locked on the image she saw in the mirror. She felt old and worn, not used and abused. She titled her head and her luscious dark hair fell in front, obscuring the view. Although no grey hairs specked her once majestic mane, she felt as if it had grown dull and limp over her many years.

With a soft sigh that only slightly broached the silence in the dark and she picked up her hair brush and began to brush said hair.

Desparately trying to ignore the darkness behind her, the vast expanse of the cold and long empty bed sat like a bed of nails, designed only to torture-never to give rest to the body that lay upon it.

Many long years had passed since Aragorn had passed out of her life, she now knew the depths of her father's long held sadness. If it had not been for her son she herself would have faded out of time and memory a long time ago.

She shook her head once and curled her bottom lip between her teeth, trying to bite back the pain and tears that rose in her throat. Her hand moved to join her brush as she worked the braids from her hair and returned it slowly to one plait that hung down her back.

The elven queen took a long deep breath and then stood gracefully to her feet. Her son held the throne and so loved his dear mother he never questioned taking her title, rooms or standing from her. Arwen so dearly loved her son that she never held him back-he was a great king of men and held strong and firm, keeping her alive even as her husband and his father had passed-leaving the throne and respnosibility to him. He knew that his mother was always there for council whenever he needed it, but the baby she'd once held in her arms had grown to such a man, that he rarely needed that.

She turned back to her reflection and found that a serene smile had made it's way to her lips in spite of her previous pain. One's children had that effect upon a mother-particularly when they had grown to be such capable people.

She'd only ever had the one child but that had never deterred her from being involved in his life-the second hardest event in her life had happened only two years past-the wedding of her son, to a great and sweet woman. A perfect match for the fair, hard headed and sure man that the boy had become.

Walking to her window she sat at the bench there and clutched a pillow to her heart as she gazed upon the starry sky above her, unsure of what she should do next. The vast majority of her kin had moved far away, sailed from the lands they'd once called home. So few had stayed, her language was nearly dead. She took a deep breath, and sang-as she so often did-into the dark night sky.

What she hadn't been expecting was the voice from below, deeper than her own but no less rich and beautiful. She stopped singing and a smile once again took her mouth. "Tauriel-you've returned from your wanderings" she said, closing her eyes and waiting for the response from below.

"Yes my lady, I have." The other dark haired elf came into view and bowed a respectful bow.

"Please leave that to the side, come...join me...I am so..." she broke off, the unbidden tears welling in her eyes.

Tauriel nodded once and disappeared from view-it took about 4 seconds, but Arwen noticed with a choked laugh that the other elf had climbed the nearest tree, and leapt gracefully onto Arwen's small balcony. "You are saddened again" she spoke with gentle knowledge and care.

Arwen titled her head to the side and managed yet another small smile. "Alas-I cannot help it" she said, lapsing into her beloved first language.

Tauriel nodded and came to crouch on the floor below her. "I know" she said softly

Arwen reached out a hand to her and pulled her up to sit next to her, once again glancing out the window.

"Why this time?" came the simple question.

"Honestly?"

"Yes"

"Because I am so very alone. It has become so obvious to me..I would not trade my family for anything, but sometimes I long for my brothers, my father..." she whispered and the tears came so easily, slipping down her angled cheeks.

Tauriel frowned and reached out one calloused hand to brush them away. "I understand that. I miss my people, our people, our language...every day." she said softly, offering a lopsided smile as Arwen turned to fully face her.

"How do you keep yourself from fading?" the queen asked, taking a deep breath and forcing an exhaustedly sad smile to her lips.

"Oh my queen" Tauriel whispered, shaking her head, deep sadness coming to her own eyes. "You musn't do that. You have a grandchild on the way-certainly you want to see that" she urged her carefully.

Arwen nodded back and got to her feet "of course I do. I could not let myself drift away in my son's time of need...but..." she broke off and pressed both hands to her face, sobs racking her thin body in a manner that suggested she had been repressing these feelings for a very long time.

Tauriel stood to her feet and took one step forward, one hand held out as if she was offering a rescue line. "Arwen" she whispered and walked behind her, laying that hand on her friend's shoulder.

The queen turned around and looked her in the face. "I feel as if I am drowning...alone, in a dark lake, there is no beauty in the place that I am stuck. He...he..." she broke down again and leaned against the taller elf for support.

The taller woman held the smaller and rubbed her back soothingly. "I know" she whispered and pressed her lips comfortingly against the top of her head.

"I'm sorry..I know you have felt alone all these years-watching Legolas sail away...I shouldn't.." she broke off and took a deep breath, overwhelmed by both her feelings and her desire to be a good friend.

Tauriel shook her head "I have long since shrugged off my sadness. It was never meant to be. So in love was he with another...and I too have been taken with others since his passing...I will never sail away knowing I am to be without him, but at least here I know I have a purpose" she said softly, brushing a strand of hair from a tear stained face.

Looking up into Tauriel's weather-beaten face something overcame Arwen. "Yes...you do" she said and once again took her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Ever have we two endured so much together, the only kin to kin" she whispered with a far away look, a thoughtful contemplative light glowing in her eyes. Something that Tauriel hadn't seen since Lady Galadriel.

"Always, my lady"

"Arwen"

"Arwen."

Arwen put one hand on Tauriel's shoulder and tilted her head to the side. "Alone, yet not alone" she whispered.

Tauriel looked at her, confusion brewing in her eyes. "Wha-"

But her question was cut off when Arwen surged up, and somewhat hesitantly pressed her soft lips against Tauriel's.


	2. Companions

**Started as a lark, took off pretty crazily. This is completely new for me so I hope it's going alright. This is totally A/U, Movie Verse but I'm having fun with it. So I own nothing, having fun, try and enjoy, this is for you Cassandra Stone. **

Tauriel froze and her eyes went wide. The kiss was innocent and chaste and when Arwen pulled away she looked down at her and blinked twice. "Ah..." she began but Arwen cut her off, soft, long fingers reaching out she gently brushed the tip of Tauriel's ear.

The elf gulped at the intimate but innocent contact. "I'm sorry" the queen said with a gentle, far away voice, taking her hand back she blinked back to reality.

"No..." Tauriel said quietly and shook her head. "Why?" she asked gently.

Arwen looked up and moved away, sitting on her vanity she glanced back at herself in the mirror. "I don't know...I just wanted to grasp something, to feel something from home" she whispered.

Tauriel tilted her head "I can understand" she whispered, looking at the profile of the queen, currently turned shyly away from herself.

"I'm sorry, my friend-I would never mean to use you or upset you in such a fashion" Arwen said, turning back to her.

The sadness reflected in her voice brought Tauriel to her side, cupping her chin she tilted her face upwards so their eyes met. "Think nothing of it" she said firmly.

"We two are the last of our kind, it's...different, but if we can bring comfort to each other, in song, in language, in companionship...there is nothing to be frowned upon. I will strive to give you any form of companionship that you desire." she whispered.

Arwen opened her mouth to argue but Tauriel shook her head "No. I don't give this oath to you out of loyalty to a queen...but as one elf to another, a friend to a friend." she whispered lowering herself to one knee.

The queen smiled and leaned forward to hug her one more time. "Thank you...you root me to the things that I miss...you...you are"

Tauriel pressed a kiss to her cheek "Go to get some rest. We will talk when the sun rises" she said quietly, and stood to her feet again.

"Thank-you, Tauriel." she said and stood up as well as the other elf gracefully leapt to the balcony and crawled neatly down to the ground below.

Arwen found little sleep that night but lay in her bed, tossing from side to side, her eyes focused in the darkness trying to understand her own thinking. She had never thought that she would kiss Tauriel. It wasn't the fact that she was a woman-elves had no worry over such relations, though the men around her might consider it strange. Why..why had she reached out to relate to Tauriel in such a fashion? What had sparked in her mind that sought such a togetherness? "Oh Aragorn" she whispered and clutched his long unused pillow to her chest.

As she had many years ago, his voice came to her while she languished half in and half out of sleep. He appeared to her, laying his body next to her in her half-dreams he spoke. "Please do not fear Arwen, I know your heart belongs to me. But elves are not meant to be alone" he said, and she felt his ghostly fingers along her jaw.

"You share something with her that you could never share with me or anyone else. Your marriage to her is not in vows and children, but in blood and language. You know this. You feel a closeness to her because she represents your heart. Let her try. Share it with her. Don't be afraid of your feelings, you are waning without waning. So it's time to shine your undaunted light once again, dance light of foot and be happy again. Rejoice in what you are and share it with the only person who can understand. Eldarion will not say a word, you are precious to him. Be alive again my beautiful Arwen." He spoke in a careful, loving way and as she drifted off to sleep she knew that he was telling her the truth, he spoke from her heart and she felt better.

When the sun rose, so did the queen. She dressed simply and left with light feet, prepared to find Tauriel and spend the day with her. She paused outside the door to the smaller dining room set aside for family and peeked inside, laughing when she found no-one inside but her son's secretary looking harried and annoyed. "Hello" she said with a light wave.

He immediately stood and bowed respectfully "my lady"

She waved him off "Eldarion is late to his duties again?" she asked, seating herself nimbly and sipping at the juice that sat waiting for her.

"His marriage does keep him distracted." he said with the same amount of reverant respect.

"It can do that" she said, sympathetically, nodding lightly to the young serving girl going about her work to make sure the petit elven queen had her meal.

"I will send him to you when he arrives" she said as she began to pick, as he always did, likea little bird.

"Thank you my Lady" he said, bowing one more time he left with a soft sigh of irritation.

"So much like Erestor." she said aloud, surprised once more when a voice came from the door.

"Much to everyone's amusement" Tauriel said, leaning in the doorway.

Arwen's face lit up and she laid her utensils down. "It makes me miss him a little less" she said, honestly.

"come in, please, join me. I eat alone too often." she said gesturing for her to come in.

Tauriel came in and perched in the chair opposite her. "Thank-you" she said simply and took a deep breath.

She let it out, but silence reigned between them. "About last night..." Tauriel began.

"Yes" Arwen said gently, rearing her regal chin, a smile touching her lips.

"What...is there to say? What was that?" Tauriel managed, and when Arwen raised her healer-trained eyes she saw the tiredness around her face, the confusion in her eyes and the wondering in her aura.

"A meeting-we do not share much-but we share blood, and language and kin." Arwen said thoughtfully, that far away look in her eyes again.

Tauriel nodded and rested her cheek on one hand as she contemplated it. "Let me be honest" she asked quietly.

"Yes" Arwen replied

"What are we-to each other" The elf asked carefully, eyes locked steadily on Arwen's.

"Companions" The smaller suggested timidly.

"Compnions" the larger repeated, leaning backwards as she took it in.

Arwen suddenly felt nervous. Feeling as if she'd suggested something terrible. When her love had spoken to her last night, it had all seemed so clear and now she realized she was barely explaining this feeling at all.

"I can agree to that, but let's not talk it out" she said eloquently, lapsing into her native tongue without realizing it.

"Talk it out?" Arwen questioned, switching languages at a moments notice.

"Yes. Let's not make a plan. Let's just...be together and just live for once, without questioning or regret-let's just live" Tauriel said with a vibrant passion Arwen had never imagined the warrior had inside her.

A smile broke across her thin lips "I think that's a wonderful idea" she said laying her hand on Tauriel's knee.

Tauriel took her hand and squeezed it between both of her own.

Arwen looked up into her strong weathered face and felt...safe. "Thank you Tauriel, for giving this to me...giving me this chance" she whispered.

"I admit" the other returned, "I am entranced by this...confused and strange" she said and stroked Arwen's smaller, smoother hand and brushed one bow-calloused finger over Arwen's soft palm. "But to think that I would be that close to another elf again..." she broke off and trailed one of Arwen's decorative braids with her other hand, never leaving off tracing her palm.

"I would love to share this between us" she whispered, retracing Arwen's steps from the night before as she trailed that finger down the delicate curve of the half-elf's ear.

"I am glad...we should only speak our languages between us" Arwen said, feeling an odd energy thrum through her at Tauriel's passion and attention.

"I agree" she said nodding as she trailed her delicate jaw.

"Would you like to spend today with me?" Arwen asked eagerly.

"No" Tauriel returned with a laugh, snatching her hands back and repositioning herself in the seat as a commotion started in the hall.

"Oh" Arwen looked crestfallen, but understood the glint in Tauriel's eyes as her ladies-in-waiting filed into the room with Eldarion's wife.

"Good morning my lady!" They chorused and Arwen laughed lightly as Tauriel took from her seat and went to stand by the window, gazing out at the sparse foliage and watching her new companion from across the room.

Arwen felt...impassioned. Tauriel filled her with a strange energy and as she tried to turn her attentions back to her ladies and Eldarion's wife, she couldn't help but feel the shiver down her back as she felt those sharp eyes on her at all times, she could only be excited-for the first time in a while- about what the day ahead held in store for her.


	3. The first night

**Hey guys-thanks so much for your following and support, I'm glad there's a market for this stuff too. So remember-I own nothing, Tolkien/Peter Jackson, not me (I might kind of own Abaesa, my version of Eldarion's wife...if someone knows more than me and knows he has a real wife let me know-Ok ENJOY!**

The day scraped by at an agonizing pace and Arwen found herself looking behind and around her everywhere they went. Tauriel-though the half-elf felt her gaze-was never visible. Her distraction became apparent to Eldarion's wife and some of the other ladies, but they never called it into question, the elf-queen often lost herself in her own world.

Night fell and Arwen found herself in her bedroom and in front of her vanity yet again, she took a deep breath and let it out, unplaiting her hair she turned to herself in the mirror she gasped and almost tumbled backwards as Tauriel appeared in the image right behind her. "Easy" the elf said, moving immediately to catch her, her arms around her upper body.

Arwen smiled gently and leaned against her with a smile, her hair flying loose in her face. "Tauriel" she said quietly and turned to her as Tauriel moved her lips to kiss her on the temple.

"I have been with you all day" she whispered, righting the smaller half-elf in her bench and combing her fingers through the loose hair, pulling it back from her face she leaned over taking the brush in her hand she straightened again.

"I know" she said, closing her eyes and taking in the sharp juniper and oil smell that wafted from the elf's body.

Tauriel smiled quietly and began to brush out her hair. "You have quite a schedule during the day...I don't think I noticed before" she said, thoughtfully.

Arwen smiled gently "yes, she keeps us going" she said her hands resting gently on her lap.

"I wish I knew how to fit in with that crew..." Tauriel said working on weaving some new braids in her hair.

"Why? It is not the place for you" Arwen said, glancing up and looking her in the eyes.

"It is not?" She asked, eyes widened slightly, as she wondered whether or not to be hurt.

"No...you are...harder than those women, you have seen more, done more...I mean it is not that you are an elf, elsewise I would not be among them myself. Besides, if you do not fit in with that crew...then I can keep you all to myself" Arwen said smiling at her.

Tauriel quirked a brow and laughed out loud "I suppose that I agree-I enjoy being alone with you, though now that I feel this way, I wish it did not have to be so clandestine" she replied easily.

Arwen gasped and looked up at her in real life, pulling her hair from those careful hands. "You talk as if we're lovers." she said, confused.

The taller elf's mouth fell open momentarily and she shook her head "I'm...I'm sorry I would never mean to imply something that is not true" she said, quietly, trying to keep the confusion and slightedness out of her voice.

"No! No! I mean...I suppose..well, it's true" she said thoughtfully, standing up to her feet and turning in Tauriel's arms.

"I just never thought of it that way before"she said honestly, carefully placing her slender hands on Tauriel's curved waist.

"Please" she pled quietly, as Tauriel remained silent, examining her face in detail she wrapped her arms around Arwen's shoulders and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Now sit down, I have left your hair half unfinished" she said, directing her back to the seat with gentle pressure on her shoulders.

Arwen laughed and this time reached her hand around to rest gently on the front of Tauriel's leg. Her hands worked quickly and tied several strange plaits in Arwen's hair, and then stood back, leaning over once to place the brush back in it's place.

"OK" she said and ran her smaller hands over the top of her head. "This is a woodland style, yes?" she asked, looking up at her.

"Of course it is." came the reply and sat next to her on the bench.

"What shall we do?" Arwen asked, looking at her with a renewed energy in her gaze.

"I'm not sure" Tauriel replied and leapt to her feet.

"We could..." she broke off, and silence reigned in the room.

"We could sleep?" Tauriel suggested and smiled.

"Together?" Arwen asked quietly.

"Why not? We do not have to do anything...we can simply talk..." she broke off and ran a finger down one of Arwen's plaits and smiled as she tapped her chin with one finger.

"I know that night is your saddest time" she said quietly.

Arwen nuzzled into her hand and smiled gently. "I would like that..."

"No plans" Tauriel said, seriously.

"No plans" Arwen replied gently and got to her feet, walking towards the bed, she paused as they arrived at the wide thing, and turned to Tauriel.

"Do you have a side?" Tauriel said, teasingly.

Arwen giggled "No" she said and leapt into her side of the bed.

Tauriel kicked off her boots and climbed in the other side. "Tauriel, you can't go to bed wearing armour" she said, before the elf got in the bed.

Tauriel lifted a brow and climbed back out, pulling off the leather belt she wore, the long tunic that covered her, leaving her in soft leggings and a gauzy, but not see through, undershirt that lay underneath. Then she climbed into the bed and pushed herself to sit up against the broad headboard.

"We need to talk." Arwen said immediately.

"We do?" Tauriel said, shocked and worried.

"Yes" the half-elf's tone was solemn and sure.

"About what?" the elf questioned her sharply.

"That pillow" Arwen said, carefully, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

"Oh..." Tauriel pulled it from behind her head and handed it respectfully to Arwen. "I understand" she said, and a mischevious smile curled her lips.

"What?" Arwen questioned, a smile tugging at her own l ips as she hugged the pillow once and placed it behind her own head.

"I'd rather use you as a pillow" she said and laid her head in Arwen's white muslin lap.

Laughing once, she repositioned herself underneath her and took to weaving her fingers through Tauriel's auburn hair.

They talked for hours and laughed, and smiled, they shared the night sky and the whispers and laughter filled the room, until the two, so tired with their sharing fell asleep cuddled together underneath the velveteen blankets.

Arwen groaned as her eyes refocused and she found a heavy knocking at the door. "Ugh" she murmured and blinked rapidly, remberance coming to her eyes as she found Tauriel asleep, strong arms wrapped tightly around her, kissing her gently on the forehead reflexively as her own green eyes focused on reality themselves.

"ARWEN!" Abaesa called through the door, in her loud and boisterous way. "Are you still asleep? That's rare, you're up with the dawn" she heard the doorknob rattling against the lock and the two elves looked at each other in shock.

"Oh...ah...wait a moment, I had a late night so I'm preparing myself now" she called back as they both leapt from the bed. Tauriel pulled her tunic and belt on as quickly as possible while Arwen leapt for her robe.

"Oh..do you need a healer? Do you need some breakfast? Do you need a hairdresser?" came the questions in rapid fire order, along with a constant knocking.

"No, No, and no" she said, running over to Tauriel as she put her boots on and moved for the window, Arwen clutched her by the front of the tunic, ripped her down and planted a hasty kiss full on her mouth. "I'll see you tomorrow" she whispered in elvish.

Tauriel all but leapt out the window and Arwen ran forward and ripped the door open, taking in the full view of the vibrant red-head that made up her daughter in law.

"Good morning" they both chirped together, one in common and one in elvish.

"Oh...right good morning!" Abaesa chirped in her accented elvish and rushed into the room.

"What did you do all night?" she asked gently, head tilted to the side as Arwen walked backwards and sat back at her vanity.

"Oh..." a secret smile took her lips. "Just talked to the sky" she said with a warm smile as she unwinded the touseled braids from her hair and started to prepare herself for a new day, a secret delight thrilling in her heart.

Tauriel stood at the base of her balcony and leaned against the wall pressing a palm to her flushed face. "Oh what have I gotten caught up in?" she asked, pressing fingers to her lips remembering the harried kiss and their quiet wake up. Delight coursed through her...but also disappointment. She was a secret...an unspeakable secret...not a companion. She knew that she wanted to turn herself into a delicate lady of the court...but she also know she would not be able to.


	4. Court and suspicion

**I'm glad you're all enjoying this, thank you for all your reviews and followings. Remember-I own NOTHING, all those rich famous guys..not me..Borrowing them for a lark. ENJOY  
** Arwen attended the court with the other woman, they ate breakfast together but before long, her delicate elvish senses picked up that gaze, and she raised her eyes to look around. In a perfect imitation of her father one thin eyebrow slid up in questioning and a small smile took her lips.

Tauriel walked down the middle of the room and bowed respectfully, speaking in heavily accented common, she spoke with her calm clarity and assuredness. "Might I join you?" she asked as she raised from her bow.

"Of course" Abaesa and Arwen said together, then looked at each other with matching smiles.

Tauriel sailed up the rest of the way and took a seat stiffly at the end of the group, her green eyes locked on Arwen.

One of the other ladies grabbed her by her arm "Why do you do your hair like that? It's so plain" she said, head tilted to the side.

"It denotes my rank" Tauriel replied, simply.

"Right...you're a shield maiden." one of the other young ladies said, with an affected air about her, as if she didn't fully approve.

"I am a Captain" Tauriel said in reply.

Arwen clapped her hands "What are we doing today?" she asked gently.

Abaesa sighed heavily and shrugged "Well...we could go riding, or walking, or we could read together" she said, looking indifferent.

"We could go swimming!" one of the other young ladies said, excitedly.

"Oh, yes, we could" Abaesa said excitedly, "but let's remember our modesty, after all, we're ladies" she said and leapt to her feet.

Tauriel looked at her and lifted both her brows, shaking her head.

The first woman, who'd asked her about her hairstyle, "Why the disapproval captain?" she asked, sipping her drink, with a blatant look in her eyes.

Tauriel's jaw tightened and she reared her proud chin "It is not the elvish way to do things"

"Oh, I know" Abaesa said patting her thin shoulder "But if we were to go full elvish on them, the boys would be distracted and get beaten up, or cut up or something, so we try to maintain some base level of modesty." she said patting her shoulder again.

"This is a man's world, after all" Maryn, the ever questioning woman said, looking at Tauriel with a hard stare.

Tauriel stared right back and rose gracefully to her feet. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Arwen, who had stayed carefully silent, wished that Abaesa wasn't so oblivious to the politicking that went on around her constantly.

She stood to her feet and caught Tauriel's eye, an apology on her thin face.

Tauriel managed to flash her a stern nod as they all filed out of the room.

Down at the little river where they travelled with a small guard to swim, they all wore white muslin gowns and tried to swim, in a rocky river with them on. They more just sat in the water and weaved hair decorations from the once beautifully growing wild flowers. They didn't really enjoy the experience but were obviously making a spectacle of themselves to the men who stood on horseback nearby.

Arwen sat herself under a nearby tree and sang quietly to herself. Tauriel, perched carefully on a rock nearby, joined her song in her deeper voice, and the music soon wafted over the other women.

Abaesa and 3 of the other six women came to sit nearer by, listening to the song with rapture. "You're singing too fast" Abaesa proclaimed with a laugh in her voice.

Arwen smiled and closed her eyes as she leaned against the tree when the song came to an end. "Sorry" she threw out offhand and wrapped her arms around herself.

Tauriel narrowed her eyes, the winds had picked up and she imagined she saw all of the women shivering. "Aren't you cold?" Maryn asked as they all worked to put their elegant dresses back on over their wet things, showing off as much or as little as they wanted to the guardsmen.

Tauriel shook her head "I am not" she said plainly.

Arwen stood to her feet "I grow frail at this time of year" Arwen whispered quietly.

Tauriel came immediately to stand next to her, speaking in a hushed voice she asked with worry glowing in her green eyes. "Do you hear it?" she asked desperately.

"No. No." she said, shaking her head "I can just feel the cold racking the air and taking control ever so slowly." she said.

"This is around the time that..." But Abaesa smacked the young daughter of the chief councilor.

"Don't even say that" she said sharply, she knew how quiet and pensive her dear Eldarion got around this time of year as well.

Arwen smiled and rose to her feet "It's alright Abaesa, we all know what happened around this time of year" Tauriel left her hand on Arwen's shoulder and opened her mouth to speak but then looked directly into the woods.

Wishing she had both blade and bow with her she grabbed the reins of the captain of their guard. "There is something in the woods" she said, pulling his boot knife she disappeared completely into the trees.

"Half you men take these ladies back to the citadel-immediately. The rest with me" he said and took off, trying to pursue the elf.

Arwen pressed her hand to her lips and took two steps forward "My lady queen, you must come, quickly" he said as each man scooped a girl onto his horse and they charged back to the stone tower that would protect them.

Hours passed by and Eldarion appeared, Abaesa ran to him immediately, as all the women were scared and longing for their husbands. His careful grey eyes took in the scene before him and shook his head tucking his usually boisterous wife to his side. "Mama-what has happened?" he asked.

Jerked back to the present a worried Arwen stood tall and capable as she spun around. "Tauriel heard something of ill ilk stirring in the woods while we were swimming" she replied gently.

Eldarion pressed a kiss to Abaesa's head and turned to the guards who hadn't left their posts. "What is being done about this?"

"The elf and several of the guards pursued whatever it was and have been missing for most of the afternoon"

Arwen blanked out of the conversation and began to pace worriedly, out of her mind with worry. It brought her right back to the great war and the exhaustion and fear she'd felt when Aragorn had run with the 9.

She never wanted to feel this and her hands clutched her heart as she felt stabs of worry and pain once again. She sunk to her seat and dropped her face to her hands.

Maryn noticed and pursed her lips together, saying nothing.

Eldarion left, and returned armed and armoured and ready for battle "I am taking a contigent of men and we will find them and eliminate the threat" he said and brushed his gloved fingers down Abaesa's worried face.

"Please be careful" she whispered, her manner definitively subdued as worry wrote itself across her own face.

Arwen twisted to her feet, her companion and her son, she could barely stand it "Eldarion" she said, in a soft voice so twisted with emotion that he broke down and took a step to touch her cheek as well. "All will be well" he said strongly and turned on his heel to march out of the hall.

Just as Tauriel strode in, a streak of dirt across one cheek and a calm expression on her face. "The threat was small and has been taken care of, sire" she said, immediately coming to a stop and bowing deeply with respect as she saw him.

"Well then...I suppose I got dressed for nothing. Thank you Tauriel" he said, the last sentence in her native tongue.

He turned once again to leave the room "I expect a briefing before the end of the day" he said and patted her on the shoulder as he walked away.

Arwen wanted to throw herself in Tauriel's arms and kiss the dirt away, but she saw two problems, she had no idea how that would be accepted, and the dirt wasn't dirt, it was a quickly raising wound.

"Tauriel" she said, concern flaring in her eyes she couldn't help herself as she rushed forward and hovered two fingers over the wound.

"It is nothing" she said with a shake of her head, eyes locked on Arwen's. Arwen gulped, feeling the heat between them she felt very much on the brink of kissing her again, she even licked her lips in preparation.

But reality crashed in on them and both turned as the other women rushed in "what was it? How did you hurt yourself?" they chorused at once.

Maryn grabbed Arwen by her elbow while the others crashed in on Tauriel. "A word? My Lady Queen?" she hissed through her teeth.

"I know you are only a half elf, and that you were married to a liberal man of the world. But there's something you need to know" she said.

Arwen's brows knit together and she shook her head "I think she cares for you, as a man would care for a woman. And your little attentions are not helping it. Let her turn her love somewhere else, she cares for you but she is saddened by it. That is a good sign, let her go, send her away. Just an extended guard run. You can find someone else to shower you with affection and attention, a man, there are many who could fill your husbands place" she said seriously.

Arwen's mouth fell open and she felt ire fill her blood, anger and disgust boiled in her veins and her hands clutched into fists, but she kept her cool. Though a hard tone crept into her voice. "What do you mean saddened?" she asked, carefully.

"Clearly she wants you to return her affections. And you do not, you share everything that she wants but she knows she can't move towards you, because of your affections for your long passed husband. But you cannot be alone forever, send her away and turn your forever to someone else"

Arwen wasn't sure what to think or what to feel, she was furious that Maryn would be so bold with her, but she was also finding it problematic the words coming out of her mouth. Was Tauriel really saddened by their relationship? Where could that sadness stem from? What could she do to fix it?

She took a deep breath and pulled her arm from Maryn's grasp. "Thank you for your thoughts, but I can manage my personal life on my own." she moved to turn away but Maryn grabbed her slender wrist in a sharp fingers grasp, the stones from the rings on her fingers bit into Arwen's pale flesh and her eyes widened with pain.

"As my husband advises your son, I advise you. Stay. Away. From. The. Elf" she hissed, trying to be intimidating.

Energy flushed through Arwen's body and she lifted her eyes to glare at the woman with real ire in her usually sweet grey eyes. She pulled her arm away sharply, ignoring the scratch from those rings that drew blood along her fore arm.

"You will leave me be. I will make my own decisions based on my own judgements. If I wanted your advice Maryn, I would ask for it. I do not need your council, I have many years beyond your youth and can see things from quite a different place, thank you very much" she said with all the decorum she could muster, then turned and all but ran out of the hall.

Tauriel noticed and blinked twice, she longed to run after her but settled for a long, hard stare at the woman who had called attention to their blossoming relationship.

Maryn stared right back at her, arms folding across her chest in disapproval.

Tauriel left the room with only a few terse words of parting and then headed off to tidy her appearance and prepare her report for the king, waiting for the night to come, so that she could check up on her lady queen without the prying eyes of the women that only thought they knew their half-elven queen.


End file.
